This post is inspired by a debate over character preparedness leading to death with + Teo Tayobobayo. Overall my stance was for a laid back but accountable system in which the players needed to specify if they were picking up gear and for how many days of travel. + Teo Tayobobayo was more in favor of hand waving a shopping list and having the player roll to see if they would have thought to bring, and hadn’t noted. I feel like both of these stances are valid, and I am thinking of combining them into the below idea for my game tomorrow.

I got this list from this survival site

and modified it to fit fantasy gaming.

How this system works is that the player has the option to pick one of the below lists keyed to specific types of environments, and the number of days worth of supplies needed. If the character wants something not on the list (and that they did not add) they roll a survival check, dc between 10-20 depending on how unlikely the equipment would be needed in the environment they are in.

Every survival kit can be broken down into the following main categories. Assume the characters have at least some way to accomplish the below categories as long as they got equipment, and have not run out of days.

• Water.
• Fire.
• Shelter.
• Food.
• Medical.
• Signal.
• Miscellaneous.

The below lists are broken down roughly by environment to greatly speed up shopping. If you are going someplace that shares common features you can quickly mix and match the lists.

Cold Weather Survival kit checklist

1. Food packets.
2. Snare wire.
3. illumination signals.
4. Saw/knife blade.
5. First aid supplies.
6. Shovel
7. Pan.
8. Illuminating candles.
9. Fishing hooks and twine.
10. Poncho.
11. Water bag.
12. Sleeping bag.
13. Tent
14. Signaling mirror.
15. Rope
16. Tool kit.

Hot Climate Kit

1. Drinking water.
2. Smoke, illumination signals.
3. Knife.
4. Signaling mirror.
5. First aid supplies.
6. Food packets.
7. Fishing tackle kit.
8. Snare wire.
9. Pan.
10. Tool kit.
11. Sleeping bag.
12. Tent
13. Rope

Overwater Kit

1. Raft boat paddle.
2. Water storage
3. Boat bailer.
4. First aid supplies
5. Knife.
6. Food packets.
7. Pan.
8. Smoke, illumination signals.
9. Signaling mirror.
10. Fishing tackle kit.
11. Waterproof matchbox.
12. Raft repair kit.
13. Rope
14. Sleeping bag

Mountains/Caverns (in addition to one of the above lists)

1. Rope
2. Pitons
3. Climbing equipment

The lists could maybe use some tweaking but not bad to have printed out for reference at the table when needed. I’ll give this a shot and report on how it goes.